DVM Program Curriculum

Disaster Management
Course Number: V1PG 0146B
Credits: 2
 
This elective course provides knowledge of hazard and risk assessment; types of disasters, disaster planning and management, agencies involved in disaster management and their respective roles. The course also involves knowledge and practical application of the Incident Command System. Through discussions, case studies and a table top exercise, candidates will have the opportunity to examine lessons learnt from previous disasters as well as disaster preparation. No prerequisite.

Introduction To Sea Turtle Medicine
Course Number: VMB 5001
Credits: 1
 
This course covers sea turtle natural history and biology, provides an understanding of the husbandry, nutrition, diagnostics, therapeutics, anesthesia, surgery, emerging diseases, mortality events and current ongoing research as they relate to sea turtles. The course includes an overview of the most common conditions requiring treatment seen in sea turtles, and recommendations for designing an effective and feasible treatment plan. Discussions will focus on recently published peer-reviewed research focused on sea turtle management and medicine. This elective course is offered once per year, during the Summer semester. Offered to Semesters 4-7.

Special Topics In Research
Course Number: VMR 5011/22/33/44/55
Credits: 1-5
 
Students are introduced to various research experiences ranging from involvement in an approved intramural and/or extramural research project on campus, working with RUSVM faculty, to working several weeks or months at another institution, program or field investigation. Special topics are selected based on their research credibility and planned outputs. The level of involvement varies with the project, length of commitment and the student’s desires. This impacts the number of credits assigned in advance for the special topics electives.

Parasitic Zoonoses
Course Number: VMP 5001
Credits: 1
 
The course covers major animal parasites of zoonotic potentials. It focuses water-borne, meat-borne, vector-borne, fish-borne, snailborne, crustacean-borne and plant-borne parasites. It also covers parasites causing larva migrans. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, epidemiology of human disease and One Health approach for control and management for model parasites are discussed.

Intro To Shelter Medicine
Course Number: VMS 5001
Credits: 1
 
To provide students with an understanding of the vital role that veterinarians play in the overall health and well-being of shelter animals, as well as the importance of population medicine. Students will become familiar with medical and behavioral health and well-being of shelter animals, control of infectious disease, zoonotic diseases and public health, spay/neuter programs, the veterinarian’s role in animal cruelty and neglect cases, veterinary forensics, and disaster preparedness and community education.

Introduction To Veterinary Animal Behavior
Course Number: VMS 5384
Credits: 1
 
Introduces the principles of animal learning, and the application of behavior-modification techniques based on these principles. Includes an overview of the most common behavioral problems seen in companion animals and current treatment recommendations, designing an effective and feasible treatment plan, and integrating behavior into your practice. Offered to Semesters 2-7.

Lab Animal Medicine I
Course Number: VMS 5498
Credits: 1
 
Introduction to the field of laboratory animal medicine and science including: ethical use of laboratory animals in biomedical research and teaching, careers in laboratory animal medicine, husbandry and management of vivaria – the GUIDE, and information specific to rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, nonhuman primates, ferrets, sheep, pigs and zebrafish. Offered to Semesters 2-7.

Lab Animal Medicine II
Course Number: VMS 5499
Credits: 1
 
Course provides an in-depth study into the field of laboratory animal medicine and science building upon the foundations of Lab Animal Medicine I. Offered to Semesters 3-7.

Clinical Nutrition
Course Number: VMS 5531
Credits: 1
 
This course is an introduction to the concepts of canine and feline clinical nutrition. Offered to Semesters 5-6.

Aquatic Veterinary Medicine I
Course Number: VAM 5001
Credits: 1
 
The course will provide the students with a general understanding of aquaculture practices and instill the importance, and real need, for veterinarians to have aquatic veterinary medical knowledge, skills and experience in order to be able to assist with the increasing demands put on aquaculture and related industries (ornamental etc.) globally. AVM-1 will focus more on Pre-clinical areas, such as the aquaculture industry, the aquatic environment, aquatic animal husbandry /rearing cycles, water quality, culture species and taxonomy, anatomy and physiology. There will also be an introduction to aquatic animal diseases, including disease prevention / aquatic biosecurity. There will be wet labs for the students to learn how to familiarize themselves with anatomy of finfish, mollusks and crustacean. Offered to Semesters 3-7.

Aquatic Veterinary Medicine II
Course Number: VAM 5002
Credits: 1
 
The AVM elective courses will provide the students with a general understanding of aquaculture practices and instill the importance, and real need, for veterinarians to have aquatic veterinary medical knowledge, skills and experience in order to be able to assist with the increasing demands put on aquaculture and related industries (ornamental etc.) globally. AVM-2 will focus on clinical areas, such as the pathobiology and epidemiology of aquatic animal diseases. Diagnosis and treatment of aquatic animal diseases. Histopathology labs will be utilized to (1) demonstrate some typical diseases found in some common aquaculture species, such as finfish and invertebrates and (2) form part of the evaluation, i.e. being able to get the student to interpret the histopathology in certain unknown histology sections and offer an etiology for what they have observed. Offered to Semesters 4-7.

Business Management For Veterinarians
Course Number: VMI 5010
Credits: 1
 
The proposed Business Management Elective will include a series of lectures and case-based information that addresses a range of macroeconomic, microeconomic, and personal financial planning topics relevant to achieving a necessary understanding of the business of veterinary medicine, employment issues, and workplace environment surrounding veterinary medicine and the preparatory issues for new grads entering the workplace to be successful. Dr. John D. Tait MS (Finance) DVM MBA CFP, Certified in Business Valuation, Certified in Negotiation and Mediation would deliver the elective.

Academic Development Program
Course Number: VMI 5213
Credits: 1

The Academic Development Program (ADP) is targeted towards students whose performance during 1st semester suggests an improvement in learning strategy would be beneficial to maximize the potential of achieving academic success in the curriculum. Through group seminars, on-line materials and individual academic mentorship sessions, students will learn and implement techniques related to active learning such as strategic approaches to enhancing examination performance, stress and time management, processing learning content, wellness that supports cognition and self-reflection techniques. Required for incoming second semester students in lowest cGPA quartile.

One Health & Systems Approach
Course Number: V1PG 0140
Credits: 1

In this course, One Health will be defined and placed in an historical context. The meaning of using a One Health approach to research, policy, development and other aspects of animal, human and environmental health will be explored with current One Health advocates describing how they use One Health within their work. The complexity of One Health and the need for a systems approach to address animal, environmental and human health issues will be discussed using current literature and case examples. The importance of collaborations, networks and teams in implementing One Health approaches also will be stressed. Short videos and assigned reading material will be supplemented with discussions. Participation in the discussions is a key component of this course. 

No prerequisite.

Wildlife Capture & Chemical Immobilization
Course Number: VELE 5001
Credits: 1

Course will cover all aspects of capturing and immobilizing wild animals using a variety of techniques and drugs. The focus of the lectures/ discussions will be on capture and chemical immobilization, safe capture techniques, pharmacology, delivery systems, patient monitoring, and medical emergencies. Prerequisites: Successful completion of Pharmacology 1. Offered to Semesters 4–7.

Wildlife Capture & Chemical Immobilization Field Course
Course Number: VELE 5002
Credits: 1

Course will cover all aspects of capturing and immobilizing wild animals using a variety of techniques and drugs. The focus of the lectures/ discussions will be on capture and chemical immobilization, safe capture techniques, pharmacology, delivery systems, patient monitoring, and medical emergencies. Prerequisites: Successful completion of Pharmacology 1. Offered to Semesters 4–7.